Dead Rules

by Randy Russell

Till death

Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever.

Do

But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch.

Us

Michael and Jana were incomplete without each other. There was no room for Mars in Jana's life—or death—story. Jana was sure Michael would rush to her side soon.

Part

But things aren't going according to Jana's plan. So Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true—no matter what rules she has to break.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Ghosts, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Death

389 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 21, 2011

About the author

Novelist. Ghost Lore. Ghostlorist.

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is so disappointing, because I wanted to love this book. The premise, that recently dead teens go to schools to learn how to be dead, looking exactly as they did at the moment of their death... It sounds right up my alley. As if I needed anything else to hook me, I loved the idea of the main character being so desperate to be reunited with her still-living boyfriend that she'd plot his death. Then they'll be together forever! I really wanted to like this book. I feel like I should have been able to like this book.

But. The world building was confused and incomplete. In this afterlife high school, there are Risers (good) and Sliders (bad). What's the difference? A Slider was actively doing something bad at the moment of their death. Risers weren't. That's it. That's the difference. So a really terrible person will, if not actively being bad at the exact moment he or she dies, will become a Riser and (it's implied, though never outright stated) will eventually go to heaven. And vice versa. But I don't really know exactly what happens to the dead teens when they eventually leave school. I don't even really know why they're in school. Nobody at the school really seems to know either. Or care, for that matter. But I do care, and it bothers me that so much of the setting, much that I think is important, was completely ignored. I wonder if Russell was thinking this could be a series, or at least a reusable setting, and that he wouldn't have to answer all of the questions in one book. Honestly, I would have taken the gaps better if I'd known there was more, eve if I didn't intend to read it.

It probably would have helped if there'd been a few more likeable characters in this book. Nearly all of the characters are either awful people or boring. Awful: Jana's still-living boyfriend, Michael. Boring: Jana's dead love interest, the too-perfect Mars. Awful: Sherry, who's moving in on Michael. Boring: Jana's dead roommate, Arva. There are really only two bright spots, Jana herself and Mars's sidekick, Wyatt. Jana is painfully obsessed with Michael, smothering and single-minded. If it weren't kind of funny, it'd be unbearable. I feel like a terrible person, but I couldn't help laughing every time Jana would carefully consider murder methods. Nothing that would leave too much of an impact! Maybe a nailgun to the back of the skull? So yes, she's kind of awful, but at least she's amusing about it. Wyatt, on the other hand, is actually a cool guy. I'm not sure how he made it into this book.

I did like the underlying idea that completely giving yourself over to a relationship, the way that Jana did for Michael, isn't good for you and will only lead to disappointment and heartache. Maybe something that needs to be in more YA. But having Jana immediately move from a relationship with Michael to a relationship with Mars totally undermines that message. Dropping that development would have made the ending better, for me.

There are definitely good idea here, but it needed better world building and more interesting characters. The setting just feels unfinished, like Russell didn't put in enough work developing his own concepts. It's a shame, because I really was looking forward to this book.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw this on an update a while back and reserved it at the library. I enjoy a good YA book.

Unfortunately this one wasn't.

As I've seen happen before it was the idea, the thought behind the book that drew me in. While there are reviews here that show many like this book, I just couldn't get into it...I disliked it. I wanted to like it, but soon I found myself skimming through it just trying to get it over.

In fairness I'm not into romances much and this is sort of a romance....sort of being the operative phrase. The "blurb tells us this is about Jana who finds herself dead and feels the injustice of it...of losing her love. That the story is about how she decides to "go get" her boyfriend Michael. To bring him along as it were...to kill him.

Had that been the story I think the book might have been interesting. As it was it was more a "this is my picture of death here"..."this is how it works"... We get a lot of "dead" relationship/s in this book. Take that phrase in several ways.

Maybe if you're 14 or 15, full of angst and the unfairness of life this will appeal to you. Otherwise, I doubt it.

The whole disillusionment with "life/death" theme here has been SO OVER DONE that it's tired from the start. I think the idea behind this might make an interesting book. Maybe in a less angsty, no one understands me, look at me I'm a rebel, everybody lies and I can't trust anyone even the one I love/d...life and now death is SO unfair type of "story telling format" it can.


Just didn't care for it. If you did/do, I'm happy for you. Enjoy. Not for me.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is indeed an amazing book. However, I'm still waiting for the scene where Mars kisses Jana. They are so perfect together!!! Love 'em! But how are they gonna be together when Mars has became a Riser while Jana is a Slider? Man, how I wish there'll be a sequel next. Oh, by the way, damn Michael! Yeah, I know he just wanted some space from Jana but that doesn't mean he needed to do that stupid prank on her. Hey, I also hate it that Jana had been so blind when she was still alive and she should have considered Michael's feeling and what he ever wanted...but I think I can forgive her for being an idiot. Well, she was just a girl blinded by love. Doesn't love make us a total idiot sometimes?

On the other hand, I think Mars is a total hero who found courage and strength through love. :p

And...damn Michael!

But if he hadn't kill Jana, there would be no Jana of Webster and Dreamcoat, right? LOL! SO, still....thanks to Michael for killing Jana. :p

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Rules is a portrayal of teenage love's dark side. After dying in a freak double date bowling accident, Jana finds herself a Junior in Dead School. While trying to come to terms with the confusing new Dead Rules, she fixates on her lost love Michael and how to stay together. Even if it means killing him. This fun and exciting book is not just another paranormal love story. Alive with authentic dialogue and interesting afterlife facts, this story will keep you smiling and entertained throughout.

[Lisbeth Avery {Domus Libri} · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received my copy of DEAD RULES fromARCycling. Thanks guys!

----

If I rated DEAD RULES for the first 300 pages, the rating would be around 0.5 stars. That's how bad it was. Yet, the last 70 pages were actually pretty good! If the rest of the book matched the ending, it would have gotten at least a 3 star rating, maybe four.

How could there be such a huge change in the last 70 pages?

Well, if you know me, you know how much I love weird, quirky Tim Burton-esque things. They're my favourite things. Ever. If it's advertised a "Burton-esque", I'll be there, no matter how low the ratings are or how unknown the book is.

Like this.

One reviewer called it "Burton-esque" and boom, I'm here. I was disappointed, but then I wasn't. Weird, I know but let me explain before y'all go storming off.

pg 1 - pg 305: wtf is this? It's stupid and demeaning.

pg 306 - pg 376: ... don't tell anyone but I liked this part.

The beginning was filled with horrible characters, one of the worst main characters (ever), boring plot, terrible filler material, no world building, a sloppy romance, a even more sloppy mystery, and the stereotypical girl who hates our main character. It's like putting all the things I hate into one 376 paged book.

Next up, I discuss the worst aspect of this book: Jana.

Characters
Jana, oh Jana. You fucking moron. I really hate you with all my heart.

Jana is probably the most infuriating character I've encountered. If I say this again (I will), please direct me to this review and then I'll see. I honestly do not think that another character can make me so angry as this one.

What does Jana do? The answer is simple. Nothing.

She doesn't do a goddamn thing at all. The book revolves around her relationship with Michael. There is no other plot then that. Jana's fixation upon Michael was disturbing. If you flip to a random page in the book, there will be the word Michael in it, maybe even more than once.



Jana is also the stupidest creature on the face of the earth. How can you possibly trip on a bowling ball? That's just crazy. Another thing, the book's subplot is a mystery one. It's so freaking OBVIOUS who did it, what the person did, and how the person did it. Yet, she acts like it's the biggest mystery in the world when it couldn't be less like that.

Mars Dreamcote is the love interest and his name is actually Mars Dreamcote. What awards has he won? Worst Name Ever and Least Interesting Character. He's supposed to be "mysterious", "charismatic", and "seexxxy". Instead he's weird, weird, and weird.

I mean, how can you not be a weirdass with a name like Mars Dreamcote. Who the fuck names a character Mars Dreamcote? That’s not even creative, it’s just freaking stupid.

Mars is not only a boring character but he’s also extremely sexist. What do women need the most? Make-up. Obviously, all we really want in the afterlife (if we can have just one thing) is make up. In fact, he says:

”I’m not stupid,” he continued. “I know the difference between what people want and what people need. You said I bring them things they want. It’s not like that. They want everything, Webster. I bring them things they need.”

“People need makeup?” [asked Jana]

“Yes. Most girls do, if you haven’t noticed. They need it to feel normal…”

When I wear makeup, I don't do it to feel normal. I wear it because I want to wear it. Definitely not to feel normal.

The other characters ranged from unimportant to that stereotypical bitch character. As you can guess, most were in the unimportant range. The only important characters to the story were Jana, Mars, and Michael, but Jana thinks it's all about her (bitch, Dead School does not center around you).

Now, I that I've covered the bad, let's move on to the good.

Jana went insane. The end. No seriously, her fixation on Michael makes her go insane. It's awesome.

Plot and Writing
Plot
The plot basically revolves around Jana's fixation upon Michael. That's really what the plot is. The Burton-esque part only comes at the end when Jana decides to kill Michael so he will be with her forever. Until then, it's probably the most boring thing in the world.

The plot:

Jana:
MichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichael

Bitch:
HAI I'M LIKE SUPER PEPPY AND ANNOYING. HAAAAIIII GURLFRIEND.

Jana:
MARRRRRRSSSS MichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichael

Bitch:
Getta way from meh. Go hang out with ur looser emooo friends.

Jana:
no.

Mars:
I'm hunky. Love meh.

Jana:
MichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichael

Bitch:
Ur so emooooooo!!!!1!!!!

Jana:
MichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichaelMichael

The end.

Except, during the last part, Jana goes insane and that's entertaining. You can really see how her mind has deteriorated throughout the book and I loved this part. A+.

Writing
The writing was the bland YA usual. No world building, bland conversations, lack of descriptions, and well, you know the rest. To summarize: not good.

Likes and Dislikes:
Likes:
- The Ending
- Jana at the end

Dislikes:
- Everything else

In Conclusion
This book, in the right hands, could have been something fantastic. But it's not sadly. DEAD RULES is a definite do-not-recommend (unless you read the last few pages).

Find more reviews at my blog:

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was supposed to be Jana and Michael, Webster and Haynes, for always. She wasn’t supposed to die. Their future was all mapped out. They were supposed to be together. Forever.

But if she had to die, then he should be with her. He was Romeo to her Juliet. And without Juliet there was no Romeo. Romeo couldn’t live without Juliet and so he followed her in death.

Michael should not have wanted to exist without her for a single moment. Her death should have meant something.

So where was he?

Jana was forced to ride the bus to Dead School alone. And with each passing moment she was forgetting little details from her life. She didn’t want to forget Michael. Not his face, not his voice, nothing. He was her everything and she was his, but yet she sat here alone.

Death would not separate the two of them. She wouldn’t let it. They would be together. Even if it meant she had to kill him to bring him to her.

***

Dead Rules is the wildly funny, dark and disturbing, yet light, and at times sweet, debut young adult novel from author Randy Russell. This exceptional story pulls you in from the very first lines and is an extremely fast, incredibly ironic and immensely entertaining read.

The story is told mainly from Jana’s perspective – a girl who met her untimely demise in what appears to be a freak bowling accident – with a few alternate perspectives and peeks at the world of the living throughout.

As awareness slowly dawns on Jana about her new situation and the fact that she is separated from the love of her life, she becomes determined to make sure that she and Michael are reunited.

And if she can’t convince him to join her in death, then she plans on taking matters into her own hands to ensure that the two of them are together, forever.

The author has written an exceedingly creative one-of-a-kind story with Dead Rules. Each character has such a distinct personality, all of whom create such a nice balance in this book. Jana is driven but lovable, Mars is a bad boy seeking redemption, Wyatt is sarcastic but supremely likable, and Arva is the voice of reason and responsibility.

The story moves incredibly quickly, and will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. And even though this story may be centered around a dark subject that is treated with humor, it has an uplifting side, too, showing that redemption is possible, that not everything is hopeless and that being selfless can have positive results.

This is a story not to be missed by readers who love books with a wicked sense of humor, an enormously inventive storyline and a refreshing look at life after death.

I consider this an absolute must read and look forward to much, much more from this author.

(On the blog I gave this my 6 star rating.)

On a personal note:

This book is so full of awesome you can’t imagine – that’s why you have to read it like I did, and which I plan on doing again. It’s a completely twisted but utterly fantastic version of what comes after death. And it totally appeals to both my darker side and the side that’s a sucker for a love story.

I adore the way this author’s mind works. The story is the perfect mix of brilliantly funny, slightly gruesome and wonderfully heartwarming.

I fell in love with this story immediately. It seemed like such an easy read, but one that I found had a lot more depth than I initially thought. And the longer I thought about it, the more I discovered, and the more deeply in love I fell.

Jana is my ideal main character. She was completely devoted to the love of her life, Michael. Even when presented with a totally hot alternative she still remained dedicated to the boy she promised her heart to. That made her admirable, even if she wanted to kill him to keep him with her always.

Jana was strong and determined and slightly devious, and she would let nothing stop her from getting what she wanted – and that was Michael – even if it meant getting herself into some pretty outrageous situations.

But she was also an extremely sympathetic and lovable character for a dead girl. She had a lonely life, with a self-centered mother who put her down, and who made her feel less. It’s no wonder she attached herself so strongly to Michael.

I loved the way this story was constructed, slowly revealing pieces of information as the story progressed, from not only Jana’s perspective but other characters in the book, and how it was interspersed with the tales of how several of the characters met their unfortunate ends. Absolutely brilliant.

And those slow reveals kept you riveted and left you wanting more. Plus, those little déjà vu moments each of them had were the perfect touch, giving their stories continuity.

The author’s sense of humor was just so wickedly funny. I am trying not to tell all, but from the opening lines to the chapters, to the subtle and not-so-subtle descriptions and actions of Jana’s fellow classmates, the writing kept me snickering evilly throughout.

One of my favorites had to be when the author mentioned that Pauline was beside herself. Actually, really, every single aspect of Pauline was so totally hysterical and disturbing.

And the irony – initially I thought there were just one or two examples of it in the story, but looking back I see that the author used it several times to great effect. But that end was so completely ironic it makes me grin wickedly every time I think about it.

What else did I love? Everything! From the characters’ names which were unbelievably unique, to keeping the characters’ appearances frozen at the moment of their death, to the different factions at Dead School – the Risers, the Sliders, the Grays, the Virgins, the Stretchers. And although Risers are supposed to have it so much better, being a Slider sounds like way more fun.

What made this story absolutely perfect were those little touches – elements that didn’t have to be there, but just made this story complete – the lawn dart, the hairdos, the croaky voice, the skin color, the body temperatures, the drinking water. They also kept this story from being completely dark, making it feel light and fun.

And finally, after probably revealing every little thing in this book that wasn’t a major plot point, I loved that the Risers smelled of Ivory soap – 99.44% pure, so not quite at the status of the Virgins, but still headed in the right direction.

I probably should have saved most of this rambling for a Book Buzz post, but I just couldn’t help myself.

I could continue to go on and on about this book which made me smile right up to the end. I will definitely be re-reading Dead Rules and I wish that it was a series – I have no idea if it will be one – because Dead School has been a great place to visit and I really want to know more about Jana and that super hot Mars Dreamcote.

[Marissa DeCuir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot even describe how excited this book makes me. So I leave you with my excitement: askdfjaslkfj a;sjasljf!!!!!asfas!!!!!!

Now that I've had my spasm, I stand by my words when I say Randy has created a completely fascinating world in Dead Rules. Jana is the COOLEST protaganist and I want to be her friend in real life. Too bad she's fictional and, well, dead.

Definitely worth reading. This is one killer of a book that can live up to the hype (no pun intended).

[Sarah (YA Love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Rules is a fun, creative take on what happens to us when we die. As soon as I read that Jana died from a bowling accident, I was intrigued. My imagination went wild until I started the book and found out what happened. (And I’m not giving that away. You’ll have to read it!) The idea of Dead School doesn’t sound thrilling, especially since I’m a teacher and already spend five days a week in school! But Jana discovers that there’s more to Dead School than she realized, which makes the story even better.

Jana’s obsession with her boyfriend (ex-boyfriend, now?) fits very well with the comparison to her as a modern Juliet. The problem is that Michael didn’t follow her lead and act the part of a lovesick Romeo. This becomes the driving force behind Jana’s need to make contact with Michael. Mars Dreamcote becomes an important character in the story because, as a Slider, he can help Jana make that contact. Honestly, I was rooting for Mars the entire time I read Dead Rules. And maybe that’s odd because he’s dead. Yeah, that’s probably odd, but he’s such a cool and mysterious character. He’s looking out for Jana even though she, as a Riser, shouldn’t be hanging out with him. The mystery behind Mars won me over and took the story to that extra level.

I can’t write this review without discussing the deaths. At Dead School it’s pretty typical to discuss how you died. And I don’t want to give any of these stories away, but the creativity! Birds and yard darts?! Some simply made me crack up, while others shocked me and caused me to cringe. Any story that gets me to react in those ways is a winner.

It’s difficult to write this review without giving away major plot points. Randy has written a fantastic and original debut that I look forward to recommending to my students and friends. And if I ever go to Dead School, I’m pretty sure I’ll want to be a Slider.

[Stephanie (Stepping Out Of The Page) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst I thought that the idea behind this book was fascinating, unfortunately this book was just not for me. I loved the idea of 'Dead School', where this book is set, but I thought that the execution was a little lacking with the numerous plot holes and not-so engaging characters. I can see that quite a few people will enjoy this though, especially if you like reading paranormal books with a strong focus on romance and (sort-of) love triangles. The story is like a twisted version of Romeo and Juliet, which sounds good but could've been better.

Jana, our main character, dies whilst bowling with her boyfriend, Michael, and their friends. She is quickly transported to 'Dead School' which is quite self explanatory - a school where those who have died go for a certain amount of time. There we are introduced to Risers (the 'good' people), Sliders (those who are 'bad'), Greys (those who have committed suicide) and Virgins (virgins who are seen as angel-like figures). I have to admit that I had a bit of a problem with the how the 'Greys' were portrayed - It was as if those who had committed suicide were singled out, looked down upon and punished. Sure, this is a fictional world that the author has created, with it's own rules, but it just didn't sit right with me. Then again, throughout this novel, I think that there are quite a few times when you will ask yourself what kind of behaviour is right or wrong. I also had a bit of an issue with the sexual references in the book. I'm by no means a prude or easily offended, but it just seemed like I was reading a book with with some random sexual references thrown in for the sake of it - there wasn't actually any need. The writing in this book felt as though it was for younger teens, but the content is definitely more for older teens.

The characters that we're introduced to in Dead School were interesting. I found their thoughts on the afterlife and the stories of how they died to be rather fascinating. There were a few recollections of obscure deaths which did make quite successful, yet bizarre, stories in themselves. I especially enjoyed reading about the Sliders, the main two being Mars Dreamcote and his friend, Wyatt. I'm not a fan of certain strange names in books and Mars Dreamcote was one of those names that made me cringe! That was quite easy to forgive though as I did like his character - he was a seen as 'bad', a rebel, but his intentions felt down to earth and sensitive - I can see why Jana liked him. I enjoyed finding out more about his friendship with Wyatt and how he ended up in Dead School.

As for the people she left on living Earth, I just couldn't stand them. I wasn't meant to like them, sure, but they were just simply awful. From the little we found out about Michael (Jana's boyfriend), he seemed totally arrogant and rather egotistical. When we find out more about him, he just seems like more despicable. From the start, I also found Jana's interest in him just too obsessive. When she dies, he is the only thing that she thinks about and tries to find a way to murder him just so that they could be together. Jana wasn't very logical - she was 'blinded' by her love which contributed to her poorly made decisions.

Despite not liking the characters very much, I think that, apart from the setting, the plot behind how Jana died when she was with Michael and her friends was the most interesting part of the story. It held the most mystery and intrigue, but it still could've been more complex.

Unfortunately, this book was simply not for me. It felt a little disjointed and had too many plot holes for my liking. Whilst I did like some of them, I couldn't connect with any of the characters which is something that I need to be able to do to have an enjoyable reading experience. The idea was there, but it felt all over the place and slightly confusing at points. I'm not sure whether there'll be a sequel (there wasn't a solid conclusion) but if so, I probably wouldn't read it. I understand that a lot of people have read and enjoyed this one, it's just a shame I am not one of those!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Rules By Randy Russell

So, I usually see that people make a note on their reviews of ARCs, so I will to: I received this ARC free from HarperCollins, and I thank them extremely. Receiving it for free did not at all affect my thoughts or opinions on the book. So, this was the first ARC book I read from the first package of ARCs I ever received. I really wanted to read them in order of release date, this being the last to be released of the books I received. But, one day, I picked it up, curious just to know a little of what was going on. So I checked out the first page. And then I found myself one page fifty. I couldn’t stop.

So, the storyline of this book was really good. It was completely original and it was a whole new take on the Paranormal Romance genre. I loved it. Jana Webster dies and wakes up in Dead School. She died in a freak bowling accident. Yes, a bowling accident. (Oh, and these aren’t spoilers, these happen in the first few pages.) So, Jana is extremely upset because she is without Michael, the “love of her life”. She is miserable. Jana wants to be with him. So, she has to find a way to be with him, only there area few problems I won’t tell you about. . So, as I said, this story was very entertaining and I love the originality! 5/5

I believe this was Randy Russell’s debut YA book. The writing was great. Mr. Russell really seemed to know how to write for teens, which is great as that’s who it was written for. The story flowed really well and I never found myself going back to reread anything. I also really liked the occasional shift in the point of view. They didn’t last long, but I really liked them. 5/5

The book was pretty much set at the Dead School. I actually was not too fond of the setting. The Dead School just seemed really… boring. It was really original and everything but it just didn’t seem eventful or exciting like I think real schools are like. Then again, it is a school for dead kids, yet I still just found it kind of bland. The setting did change up occasionally, but I won’t say how, as it is somewhat spoilerish. But it is nice when it changes up. Overall, the change of the setting helped, but the school setting still never got in the way of enjoying the book, so it is still a 3/5.

I loved the characters in this book. Some of them you start out hating and end up loving, and some you start out loving but end up hating. But that’s a good thing! I really liked all the dead kids that Jana becomes friends with, and I loved hearing about each of their stories. I really liked the way the story switched to the scene of there death when they were telling their story, so it was like you were with them. I really like the way they all seem to make friends and get along. The living characters were good to, but I found a few of them in particular, quite despicable. My only complaint is that I would have liked to hear more about Jana’s mother, just a bit. It does explain why she wasn’t very involved, but I just found myself wanting to know a bit more. 4/4

Also, I am not going to be rating based on the covers anymore. I don’t think it is fair, as the cover has nothing to do with the content of the book, though it does help if the cover is nice when it comes to picking it out. But, I do like the cover for this one. It is simple and in my opinion it works for the book. I am not quite sure if it would have grabbed my attention from the shelves, but you never know.

So, overall a 17/20. I really enjoyed the book, and I think it was a great read. I think once it comes out all the way in July, you guys should check it out. I found it to be a quick read even though it had over three hundred pages, but that was because I couldn’t put the book down. So, put this on your to be read list, because it is not to be overlooked!


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[InkBitten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Judged by a Cover: Photo shop Nightmare

Everything is wrong with this cover. We have a disembodied head, fake red hair that looks plastic, randomly colored eyes and skin so pale it puts Edward Cullen to shame. The tag line is stupid and freaky, and the title makes no sense. Does it mean that being dead rules, or is it about rules for dead girls? It's pretty bad, and the rest of the book doesn't get much better.

What's Up?

Jana is a normal teenager. She attends school, has a few good friends, a great boyfriend, and... of course, she's dead. And her boyfriend isn't. (In retrospect, I should have known to stop reading then.) After dying in a freak bowling accident, she was sent to a sort of purgatory, an eternal high school. She will stay there until she graduates, or flunks out. Plus, (horror of horrors), her soul mate, the love of her life, her boyfriend still lives. Jana will do anything to see him again. And of course, to make it all angsty, the dark, handsome loner guy shows up.

Time Of Day: NO NO NO NO NO

- Obsessive thoughts? Check.
- Lack of ANY common sense? Check.
- Wishy-washy love triangle? Check.
- Murderous tendencies? Check.
Jana is one of those girls who'd obsessively run to the bathroom every 5 minutes to make sure she looked alright. She's naive, annoying, stuck-up and obsessed with her boyfriend so much that she would kill to see him again......

Head over Heels: -2000000

Honestly, the book is lucky the number is this high. The main romance is one-sided and obsessive, and both the people in it are awful. There is a very nice guy that Jana falls in love with, but that was only enough to save it from negative infinity. There is so much more I'd like to say, but unfortunately it would give away the minuscule plot of this book.

Anti-Bonus Features: Romeo and Juliet

I know I had this as an anti-bonus feature in another book, and the same applies here. This particular plot line is overly redundant, and definitely overused. Plus, the author must have had different version of the play than I have. In mine Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, not each other.

Death

I realize that putting a bowling ball as the picture for death is very odd, but let me explain. Death as main concept has been done very well in novel, such as The Lovely Bones, however, all the deaths in this book were just bizarre. I have never heard of anyone being killed by a bowling ball, plastic dart, or even suffocation from swallowing a bird.


Obsessed Girlfriends

I really don't believe this needs any extra explanation. Generally, love does not involve killing your significant other, bu hey, what do I know.

Final Flavor: Unsweetened Chocolate

This book had an excellent concept, especially because life after death books are so rarely done. Still, it used almost every stereotypical thing that can be found in young adult literature. Believable characters and an original plot would have been nice too. I went into this expecting a nice, fun read, but honestly, it almost made me gag.

[La Femme Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted here: http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/20...

Dead Rules just brought the sexy back in ghosts. I was never a big fan of ghost stories, until now. From the first page on, I was engulfed in the wholesome artistry behind the sinister and witty plot. The dark quality following the light humor was a great balance throughout the novel. My overall favorite aspect was the buildup in characterization. Each individual, right down to the secondary ones, all had a unique voice. Thus, making it easy for me to connect and sympathize with each dead person's tale. Jana, a quirky girl in love, falls to her tragic death in a bowling alley. Crazy way to go right? After all is said and done, Jana starts attending an afterlife "Dead School." This arrangement is like any other school, just with students who carry their heads around or have a dart stuck in their skull. I know what you're thinking, who would have thought that we would still go to school even after death! Well, for Jana's case and mine, this idea was flippin' spectacular.

When Jana was alive, her world consisted of Michael. The two were inseparable, right down to their future plans. With the loss of her life, and other half, everything she once knew was in shambles. But, when a mysterious note provides her with murderous information, her plan is to get in with the rule breaking Sliders, to get her foot closer to Earth. Mars, was the perfect bad boy in my eyes. His edge and pleasantly surprising good heart made him into just the right person for Jane to know. Plus, her roommates were just as amusing, even the ones who continually stopped her from going against the grain. By the end, I was left astonished at how everything turned out. The story couldn't have resulted in a better conclusion. Even though, I think a sequel might be in the works due to the open window left behind, or so I hope so! I loved this novel and everything about it. Also, because of Jana, I will now use the term, "Fart, Fudge and Popcorn!" Thank you Randy for writing YA, you just rocked my inner fascination with ghosts.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t you love those perfect, destined-to-be-together-forever loves? The ones where nothing can touch them and the idea of conflict is just ludicrous? Where the mountains bow down in their wake? Well that’s what Jana and Michael have.
So when Jana dies in a freak bowling accident, she expects (naturally) for her one and only to swiftly kill himself so they can be together in the afterlife. Only, the days pass and he doesn’t show up. *record scratch sound*
Of course then Jana comes up with another, easier solution. Take the choice out of his hands. Kill him for them.
Beautiful.

Now, imagine waking up on a school bus where you actually have to go to school! Everyday. Seriously? Well, welcome to the afterlife. “Life is cruel, why should the afterlife be any different?” (Five awesome points if you know what movie that’s from!)

As soon as I heard about this book, I wanted it. Badly. My love for all things morbid knows no bounds. What I unexpectedly got was a Tim Burton-esque YA novel that I loved to no ends. If you liked Beetle Juice and the dismal look of the afterlife (“You know what they say about people who commit suicide: In the afterlife, they become civil servants”), you’ll certainly enjoy being dropped in an afterlife school with no cellphone reception and no access to make up. The horror.
However, on the upside you have the mysterious and very sexy Mars and his ‘slightly terrifying, but really a nice guy’ best friend Wyatt.

Other than that, there is a lot of morbid humor, a darkly compelling and very twisted plot all surrounding a love and true love story. And I must say that it is certainly a unique work and there isn’t anything else like this out there on the market and I hope it does as well as it should!

This is Russell’s first YA work after a long career in ghost writing and research, I will definitely be looking forward to his future works in the genre.
Last note, how much do you LOVE the cover?! Seriously, this A) PERFECT for the book and B) just incredibly gorgeous. Love love love it. Go Harper’s art department!

[Shawn Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book! It's fast, funny, and smart, a welcome and off-beat twist on the standard YA paranormal romance. In DEAD RULES, Russell creates a complete world that is compelling, believable, and an absolute blast.

[Deea (Andreea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars review also posted on my blog @ Deea's Journal

I read this book a few months ago and the details are a bit fuzzy, but I really liked it and I still feel like recommending it. Besides, it is very appropriate for the season. It's one the most original, twisted, dark, haunting, hilarious, interesting book I have read in a while!

So... Meet Jana and Michael. They are a happy couple of high school students who are deeply in love with each other. They have all their future planned out and of course, they will live happily ever after together. Or so they thought. Because all their future plans fall apart when Jena dies and ends up in Dead School.

After the bewilderment of being dead and in a school for dead people wears of, Jana realizes that Michael is not there with her, which is so not fair, because their love story can’t end just like that, right? Would Romeo and Juliet’s love story be so epic if only Juliet died? Probably not, so our Jana decides that she will do anything to be with Michael again – even if she has to kill him.

Just like any other school, Dead School has rules, cliques and getting around them is not as easy at it seems. Here, the consequences of breaking rules can be much more dangerous, more… final. But that won’t stop Jena from trying to get to Michael so they can get their happily ever after.

Anyway, even in this strange place, she can find some friendly faces. Ok, maybe their faces are not always literally friendly (most of the students have the same look they had when they died – you see a girl with a dart in her head here, a boy with broken limbs there, another girl with feathers coming out of her mouth somewhere else) but they can be very nice. Even Mars, who is supposed to be one of the bad guys. In fact, he doesn’t seem so bad to her, on the contrary, he is nice, charming, always there when she needs him and he even helps her with her plan to get to Michael. But spending so much time with him confuses her; she realizes that she likes his company more than she should. Which makes her question her own feelings, her relationship with Michael and the reasons why she wants to be with him. She couldn’t actually be wrong about her feelings for him, could she? They belong together, they always have. Right? Well, sometimes I had to roll my eyes at Jana's obsession with Michael, but everything turned out ok in the end. The whole story is twisted, creepy, tense, hilarious at times and keeps you guessing until the very last page.

And there are so many super funny moments in this book! Randy Russel has this twisted, dry, sometimes morbid humor that is so unique and quite addictive! The plot is interesting as well, of course, but without the amazing writing, I doubt the story would have the same appeal. You just have to read it and see for yourselves!

Speaking of which, I just had to share with you a couple of quotes. Maybe it's just my vivid, crazy imagination or the timing, but reading these scenes had me rolling on the floor laughing and gasping (not really, but almost)

Pauline was the center of attention. The senior danced with two boys at once, one in front of her, and one behind. She turned her top half to face one while her bottom half faced with the other. At one point, the boy dancing with Pauline’s top half took her hand and twirled her around from the waist up. Both boys had to duck in turn when her hair, permanently swept straight out to one side, came around.

She watched Wyatt at the Sliders’ end of the gym. He was taller than most of the other students in Dead School. No one had a name for the dance he did. He stood in place and rocked from side to side, using his good arm to roll imaginary toilet paper around his wrist.

Oh, and the cover! When this book first came out, I was like obsessed with it. Those eerie, hypnotic eyes... *stares**shudders* Yup, definitely a must read for the season!

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dead Rules was a book I had wanted to read for a while, so when it arrived through my letter box – which was a nice surprise, I was really excited about reading it but, after reading I have to say I’m really disappointed and here’s why;

The story follows the life of Jana Webster, a young girl that one day finds herself transferred to ‘Dead School’ after she is involved in a tragic accident that of course, leaves her dead. When Jana was alive she had a boyfriend named Michael, and Jana will do anything she can to be reunited with him. So, she enlists the help of Mars Dreamcoate, a Slider that is still connected to the real world and with his help she plans to kill Michael.

Now this book sounds pretty amazing but while I really liked the idea and found it quite fascinating, it just didn’t work for me. I read a lot of young adult books and I love them but this was really was wrote for the age level and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone over the age of 14+. This was the main reason I found it hard to get into because the wording was very simple and basic and the execution of the story had to many flaws. The story had a lot of potential and there were things that kept me reading mainly being Mars but that’s about it.

Our main character Jana wasn’t very likable. I found her very naïve and she was really obsessed with her boyfriend Michael to the point of it being annoying. I really hated the way she introduced herself as ‘Of Webster and Haynes’ – and never in my life have I cringed so much at a few little words but my god I did, every single time she said it. Even though Jana is suppose to be 16 years old, she was more like an 8 year old and I just really didn’t like her. And then of course, we have Michael…who as the story progresses he appears to be a really nice character but nope, he’s a horrible boy that really didn’t care for Jana…but most shockingly wait until the end….it was quite a bitter sweet ending for him and was probably one of the most interesting twists to the story.

Now Mars is a different story, he was my main reason for reading and I found him the most interesting. He was actually present when Jana died, so he knows what really happened and because of this he has a connection with her. I loved how he supported her even though she was in love with Michael but what I loved about Mars was his back story, I loved finding out how he died and seeing him still connect with the real world. He was probably the most interesting character from the book.

Most of the other characters in the book have back stories and I loved how the author ventured out and told the tales of the other characters but I sometimes found it confusing as there were quite a few characters introduced at the same time. Some of them do have horrible deaths and of course, how they died is how they appear in the story, and I actually found this very intriguing to see the author’s descriptions of everyone else despite the confusion to start with.

Overall, I thought Dead Rules was an interesting and great idea but sadly it just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publishers for the giving me the opportunity to review this book.

[Nina · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Till death do us part."

The story isn't really worth giving summary because it was basic. Overall, this girl is obsessed with a guy who doesn't feel the same way about her. But she is too blinded by love and does not see the truth. The guy decides to pull a prank on the girl but it goes terribly wrong. She dies and has to go to Dead School. She meets a lot of people there who tell stories of how they died. A guy stands out and helps her communicate with the love of her life on earth. But now she wants to kill him so that they could be together. The guy doesn't want this but dies anyway. Now the girl is independent and can stand up for herself without her obsession taking over.

I also have to mention the funny and weird moments of the book. Because the people in Dead School kept there bodies as they were when they died, a lot of funky kids were introduced into the story. Like Pauline and her sliced bottom and top half. And poor Beatrice with an arrow sticking out of her head. It was quite entertaining.

Interesting plot. The fact that Jana saw herself as plain compared to her mother but other people disagreed made me able to relate to her. She lives in the shadow of her famous mother and was deprived of love. So when a guy comes and says he loves her, she takes it all to heart and lives in a dream land of Romeo and Juliet. I loved how the story told different sides of the story. However, the way it was written could have used work. Conversations that were important just suddenly happens. There was no building up to the point. Just say it and that's it, the moment is over. Also a more creative way of telling how people died would have made this book better. Instead of using italics and going into third person, it could have stayed as first person. This would have given it a more personal feel. 1.5 stars. There were major flaws and that's why I rated this book so low. The flaws overshadowed the good parts of the book.

The characters were great. They were very different from each other which gave the story diversity. Arva was well thought of and very unique from any character I have read. This made her interesting. Wyatt was also one of my favorites. The two side characters were quite charming and reminded me of people I knew in real life.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Rules is a fun, fresh life-after-death novel. When Jana dies in a freak bowling accident, she wakes up on a school bus. She's on her way to Dead School, where teens go when they die since they haven't lived enough to prove whether they are heading up or down. Jana's less concerned with being dead than she should be. The only thing that matters to her is the loss of her constantly attached-at-the-hip boyfriend Michael.

Michael's alive. For now. As a riser, Jana is less tethered to the Planet than the sliders. Meaning, she can't effect things on Earth the way the bad kids can. She needs to kill Michael so they can be together again, so she actively tries to get demerits in the hopes of being demoted to slider. Along teh way she makes some friends, becomes rather attracted to a slider named Mars, and learns that maybe Romeo and Juliet got it wrong.

Jana is uber annoying in the beginning of Dead Rules. She's obsessed with a capital STALKER when it comes to her boyfriend. She loves him so much she needs to kill him so they can be together forever. And soon, since he'll forget about her and their love if she doesn't get him back immediately. Oh, sweet, completely messed up Jana, how you make me want to strangle you. Mourn your still living boyfriend. Move on with obviously interested Mars. Just stop being a psycho girlfriend already.

Michael is a douche who Jana idolizes for no obvious reason. Super hot Mars clearly cares about her, but since Michael is the be-all-and-end-all of guys, she dismisses him. The school, the other students, the many stories of how each person died, every single thing about Dead Rules is wonderful. Except Jana. Who needs to be kicked in the head for being THAT girl. I even enjoyed her insanity for a while, but it went on for far too long.

Darkly comedic and utterly refreshing, Dead Rules is a wonderful debut novel. I'll be on the look out for more novels like this one from Randy Russell in the future.

[Randy Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't write my own review, so I'll go with the Kirkus Book Reviews notice. Hope this is okay.

STARRED. DEAD RULES
Author: Russell, Randy

Review Date: May 15, 2011

Not your usual paranormal romance.

Romeo and Juliet meets Daniel Waters in folklorist Russell's wry teen debut. After a deadly freak bowling accident on a double date, high-school junior Jana Webster (of Webster and Haynes, regional champions in Duet Acting, as she's quick to mention) finds herself in Dead School, right in her hometown of Asheville, N.C. As in real high school, rules and cliques govern Dead School. Jana, a Riser (with a promising placement after graduation), is supposed to avoid Sliders (whose fates are on a downward spiral). Since Sliders still have an attachment to Earth, she asks Slider Mars to help her communicate with her boyfriend and love of her life, Michael Haynes. While Jana plots to kill Michael so they can be together forever, Mars believes Dead School is a chance to learn how to change their destinies. The pacing intensifies as Jana discovers the truth about her death, and the real star-crossed lovers emerge. Sarcastic quips and double entendres drive the story's humor, but it's the sensitivity of the supporting characters (like Beatrice, who after inviting her crush to her church picnic and sneaking off to the woods with him so he can feel her up, dies when a stray lawn dart strikes her head) that allows Jana (and readers) to see laughter within tragedy.

Wickedly clever. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

What happens when you die? Well if you are a teen you go to 'dead school', and just like real school there are those on the fast track (risers) and those who aren't (sliders).

A young girl wakes up on a new bus going to a new school and can't remember why. Jana has just died and it's her first day at dead school and there is a lot to learn. In the real world she was besotted with her boyfriend and she thought of themselves as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, but when she realises that her Romeo hasn't followed her into death she decides she needs to help him - she just needs how to find out how!

Apart from being an entertaining story it is interesting to find out how some of the characters died and how they react to their situation. How the characters died follow them into dead school and some of them are tragic and some of them are blackly funny - the girl with the massive spike for one. One thing does flow through the whole book - how far a besotted teenage girl will go when she is in love - teenage boys beware!!

[caren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh how I wanted to like this book—love it even. But oh, how I did not.

Yes, I finished it, because I kept waiting for it to grab me! I wanted to find that spot where I want “AHHHH! THIS WAS WORTH IT!” but sadly, that never happened.

I really think this idea was fantastic and that this could have been a kickass book if 70% of it had not been devoted to making the MC look like a fool. Jana's character was annoying (at best) and drove me crazy through about 97% of the book. The only time I even enjoyed her a little was on the very last page.

The other characters also felt flat, though they each had their individual stories to tell, there was no feeling or depth. Nothing. Which is very very disappointing. :(

[Shi'Asia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well this was a pretty boring read. The story line would have been some much more amazing if the writing hadn't been so simple. Everything is basically spelled out for you. Also, the main character Jana Webster, of Webster and Haynes, is a obsessive dead teenager with mommy issues that reads more like a five year old. She's probably one of the simplest characters ever.

Speaking of characters that goodness for some of the Dead School teens. They have more personality than Ms. Webster combined. Mars and Wyatt are two really strong characters. Jana's boyfriend is a real douche and if you mange to get through this entire story you'll understand why.

Anyway, the ending doesn't really satisfy. I don't know maybe it wasn't just my cup of tea.

[Amalie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously could not put this book down and read it flat in one sitting! I loved that the author chose to deal with falling in love with the idea of love, and the whole "we're going to be together forever at 16." Jana as the main character was quite annoying especially going on and on about her soul-mate, as I expect she was meant to be, but overall I enjoyed being on her self0-discovery journey at Dead School. Very cool world-building! I was fascinated by all the different quirky characters, especially of course the McDreamy Mars Dreamcote. Enjoyable, fun, unique and different. Loved!

[Sheela Chari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most inventive book I've read in a long time. It will change your mind about the afterlife and about the rules we live by in our present lives. The writing is so skillful and beautifully rendered. What I loved about this book, aside from the gripping plot and unforeseen twists, is that there is a lot of heart here, and empathy for the characters. People compare Dead Rules to Heathers, but I think this work is more artful and compassionate. Brilliantly conceived and written! Wow!

[Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a roller coaster ride for me. One minute I liked it, then I hated it, then it was tolerable, then I loved it, then I despised it and then I had to admit I enjoyed it. So that's why I gave it a four. Jana is still annoying. She is one crazy chick. I loved Mars, though.

Maybe I'll review it properly later. We'll see.

[Romy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! This was just as weird and nutty as I thought it would be but in a good way, a thoroughly entertaining read. Review to come closer to the release date.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this YA novel doesn't take teens and adults by storm I'll be shocked. Predicting this will be on a lot of 2011 Best Books of the Year lists!

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

This novel follows the (after) life of Jana Webster. After dying in a freak bowling accident, she wakes up on a school bus surrounded by people she doesn’t know on her way to a Dead School feeling alone and out of place. The teachers are boring and nothing makes sense. Sliders, Grays, Risers, what did it all mean? How is she supposed to do this without Michael by her side? They do everything together and he must be going mad with grief now that she is dead. Desperate to communicate with him by any means necessary, she joins forces with the school’s number one baddie, a Slider named Mars Dreamcote. After attending her funeral and seeing Michael getting nearly molested by her “grieving” mother, she makes a radical decision. Why should they be forced to suffer through a lifetime without each other? The easy answer is that shouldn’t, so she devises a plan to kill Michael so they can be together forever. Before she can achieve that, she knows she must become a Slider. She is a Riser, which appropriately means she is on her way up after Dead School, whereas Slider’s fates are less fun. But while at Dead School, Sliders are more connected to the Earth so when visiting they can, if they choose to, be seen or heard by people and touch things whereas Risers are mere spirits unable to interact with anything while on Earth. Jana acts out in every conceivable way she can think of, doing everything from sneaking off school grounds at night to dancing topless at the school’s dance in order to be demoted to a Slider. The entire time she is trying to achieve this, Mars is trying to convince her that her memories from her last night are Earth are a bit biased and that maybe her death wasn’t an accident.

Initially I was rather annoyed with this novel. Jana was one of those super annoying girls who doesn’t seem to have a life at all away from her boyfriend. They are so intertwined that she always introduces herself as Jana Webster of Webster and Haynes (as in Jana Webster and Michael Haynes). I understand being a little too dependent on your significant other and feeling more than a little lost without them, but not being able to thrive at all is a little absurd. Deciding that you are so lost without them and that they must be just as lost without you so the best course of action is to kill them so you can be together is totally ludicrous. When she decides that this is the only suitable conclusion she can come to, I was shocked and very angry.


Really Jana? The only fucking solution is to murder him?!?!? What’s worse is she seriously believes this down to her core. With things heating up a little with the dreamy Mars who is constantly trying to tell her that her life wasn’t all that it appeared to be, I couldn’t believe she was still so dead set on murdering him. The only thing that stops her is the fact that if she kills him so will go straight to hell and therefore will not be able to be with him, which Mars only tells her after she succeeds in becoming a Slider. What kept me reading when I could barely tolerate her was learning about this completely unique world. Everything is so different and there are so many rules that are only vaguely referenced by her roommate. The only thing that is clear is that she shouldn’t be hanging around Mars and his friend Wyatt. But Mars seems to be the only person who actually thinks instead of blindly follow what he is told and he is the only one who can help her.

I loved that although this novel mainly follows Jana, you get to see a bit from other people’s perspectives, like Mars and Michael. Though I was more than a little shocked to find that Michael was a cheating asshat. Once again, I was totally in love with the main guy, Mars Dreamcote. Hot, funny, thinks for himself, secretly a good guy, the coolest name ever, the whole enchilada just had me wondering why Jana was chasing Michael instead of opening her eyes to gorgeous creation that is Mars. She shows some attraction to him, but never wavers from her devotion to Michael. Even when Mars tells her that Michael might be responsible for her death, she won’t even acknowledge that her death was could have been intentional, claiming that Michael was just paying a harmless joke that went wrong. What she doesn’t know yet is that Michael is an even bigger ass than even Mars thought he was and has been cheating on her for some time and planned to use the “harmless joke” to dump her. When she finally does get demoted to a Slider, everything changes. Because her demotion is due to a suicide attempt that Mars thwarted, Mars gets promoted to Riser while she gets demoted so he can no longer help her and she must soldier on with only Wyatt’s help. Confronting Michael and hearing him call her a “bitch” turns her world inside out and then she finally gets what she has been working for all this time. Michael accidentally falls to his death and ends up at Dead School with her and she wants nothing to do with him. But it’s all good because she seems to have found herself and she is now hopelessly in love with Mars.

This novel has a great ending. Although Jana’s narration is annoying, she gets better about halfway through the novel and once that happened, I couldn’t put it down. One of my biggest annoyance is Jana though is her use of the phrase “fart fudge popcorn” in lieu of cursing. Every single time she said it, I wanted to chunk the novel across the room and never pick it back up. I understand that some people don’t curse (though I don’t necessarily understand why…), but at least use something that doesn’t sound so ridiculous! I’ll take Zooey from Marked’s constant use of “bull poopie” over that. The other reason it bugged with is the fact that she is dead and she wants to be demoted so why not go the extra mile and start blurting out profanities like crazy? Even though she soon learns that it takes something major to get you demoted (not even dancing topless at a school function came close to having an effect), you should still do all you can to achieve the goal and I am sure that wouldn’t hurt!

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This was a surprising and interesting take on death from a dead teen’s point of view.

Opening Sentence: Jana had the jitters.

The Review:

Dead Rules starts with Jana on her first day of school. The problem is that Jana is dead, and the school is for dead kids to help acclimate them to their new state of being. Jana doesn’t remember dying, but it eventually comes to her. Her strongest memory is of her boyfriend that she is still hopelessly in love with. The book is from a third person perspective, so we have a chance to see what her boyfriend is doing on earth, and we find out that he and his two friends are not innocent in relation to her death. Jana gets a hint on her first day that she might have been murdered from a notorious Slider, Mars Dreamcote. There are two main classifications of dead in Dead Rules: Riser and Slider. Sliders are kids who died doing something bad, or don’t follow the rules while at Dead School. There is not much known about what happens to Sliders after Dead School. Risers are kids who would rise after Dead School to the rest of the afterlife. Virgins were used as messengers, and anyone who committed suicide were basically watchmen at Dead School. I found this whole set up of the afterlife very interesting.

Each of the characters show signs of what they died of. There are kids missing limbs, stuck on stretchers, or with large arrows sticking out their heads. Each of the characters that Jana interacts with gets their own section that explains how they died, and little more about the characters themselves. I really loved seeing how their death affected the personalities and daily lives of the teens. There is a lot for Jana to learn and get used to, but she is a fast learner. Her only interest is being with her boyfriend, Michael again. That is her sole determination that drives the whole book. She would kill to have her boyfriend with her again. I can’t say much more about the plot without giving it away.

Jana sees herself as half of a whole. Without Michael by her side, she doesn’t know who she is. Her whole life has been full of those around her, like her mother, ignoring her. She doesn’t have any friends besides Michael, and she has their whole future planned out. When all of that is taken away from her with her death, she doesn’t know what to do with herself besides do all she can to be with Michael again, even if that means killing him too.

There are rules for everything, and there are consequences if those rules are broken. Jana tries to use the system to her advantage, but finds out that some things are just not meant to be. She tries to cheat death, but she can’t thwart the Dead Rules to have the life she left behind with Michael. Those around her like her roommate Arva, or the attractive, but dangerous Slider Mars Dreamcote try to help her learn the rules, but Jana makes her own choices. What else is there left to do for newly dead teen? I would recommend this novel for anyone interested in a fresh, funny take on death.

Notable Scene:

There was onlyone way Jana could be happy again. And that was to be with Michael.

“If Darcee does wake up, she’ll be out of here. Just like that, back to the Planet she goes.”

“The Planet is real life, then?”

“I shouldn’t call it that, I suppose. But everyone does.”

“Where’s the Planet?”

“Oh, it’s all around us,” Arva croaked cheerfully. “We’re right in the middle of it. There’s a boundary between us and the real world. The fences around the dorm and around the school. But it’s more than fences. When they let you leave the campus, you become a spirit. You’ll think you have your body just like you do here, but you don’t. It’s pretty scary.”

“So we’re right here on Earth?”

“Yeah, that’s the cool part. Dead School is in a real school building and the dorm is a real building on the Planet too. They have Dead Schools all over. Around the world, I imagine. They’re vacant buildings. But we get to use them. When a new student shows up, they try to find you a vacancy near to where you live. Your town could be very near, you see. Or maybe we’re right in it.”

“Who are they? You said ‘they’ try to find a Dead School near to where you live.”

“The regents,” Arva said. “There’s a Council of Regents. They oversee everything. They’re like a board of education. I have to find you the student guidebook, don’t I?

Jana realized Arva didn’t really want to show her a copy of the student guidebook. In fact, Jana decided, Arva was probably keeping it from her on purpose. She enjoyed getting to explain her version of things to Jana.

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Dead Rules. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Cynthia Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to find out how much I loved reading Dead Rules, I was feeling like I was getting into a reading funk again before I started reading it and wasn’t so sure which book to choose next, but I had heard that this one was really good and they were right. Dead Rules was just what I needed, from the very crazy beginning I was unable to put it down and finished it within twenty-four hours, it was that good.

After a freak accident Jana finds herself dead and stuck in something called Dead School, it’s where teenagers go when they die and what I found really fun to read was that they are in this afterlife looking exactly like they did when they died. So if they were missing limbs or cut in half they were pretty much walking around that way in the school, and it wasn’t as creepy or gory as you would imagine Randy Russell made it fun. He added quirky humor to the story and the characters that it’s the complete opposite of what you would think a story about the afterlife would be like. I loved the main character, Jana’s was stubborn and not satisfied with the rules of being a good girl like her roommate. She was also a bit delusional about her boyfriend and wanting to be with him forever even in death, she became obsessed with finding a way to kill him or get him to kill himself. I wanted to slap some sense into her and to look at who she had in front of her which was Mars. Mars was suppose to be one of the “bad kids” in Dead School but he wasn’t at all, he was the sweetest, he kept helping Jana with all her crazy ideas to get into trouble, and trust me there were plenty of hilarious ones.

Even though I got frustrated with Jana’s obsession to want to be with her very much alive boyfriend, I could understand how she felt. She was a teenager who thought she would be with her high school sweetheart forever and even though he seemed a bit shady after she died she had no reason to doubt him, nothing that he had shown before, so you do feel like you can relate to her and also at the same time feel sorry for her being so young, having so many dreams of her future and having to let them all go so suddenly. I think what intrigued me the most about Dead Rules was its originality, the concept was very unique and I hadn’t come across a book that took death and made it fun to read about like Dead Rules does. It was quite a nice break and a breath of fresh air that kept me entertained the whole way through. The only thing I would’ve like to know a bit more about was what happened after they got out of Dead School, it’s not really explained that much, it’s brought up but nobody really knows, I was really curious about that. I still definitely enjoyed Dead Rules, it was a very fun, smart and original read, hard to put it down and the writing was easy flowing that you don’t really notice how much you’ve already read until you get closer to the ending which was also wonderful. Everything that needed to be resolved did and it still left plenty of room for the reader to wonder about all of the characters’ future but with enough closure to feel happy and satisfied about it.